News

The parents of Tyre Sampson, the 14-year-old who died at an Orlando amusement park, were awarded $310 million by a jury on Thursday. They won their case against Funtime, the Austrian manufacturer of the ride.

A Jacksonville, Florida, couple filed a lawsuit against Walmart on Wednesday, claiming the retailer falsely accused them of stealing children’s clothing from a store in October.

Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, has been arrested and charged in connection with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. After being arrested yesterday at a McDonald’s restaurant in Altoona, Pennsylvania, he was charged with murder, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree possession of a forged document and third-degree criminal possession of a firearm. He is currently incarcerated as law enforcement is investigating a motive.

Fortnite players may soon receive more than $72 million in refunds after the Federal Trade Commission discovered the video game’s maker, Epic Games, had “tricked” customers into unwanted purchases.

Nikki Giovanni, the acclaimed poet, author, professor and activist, died Monday following a third cancer diagnosis. She was 81.

A suspect has been arrested in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Joseph Kenny, who serves as New York City police department’s chief of detectives, announced on Monday that officials arrested 26-year-old Luigi Mangione in Altoona, Pennsylvania while he was eating at a McDonald’s restaurant and an employee identified him.

“He was sitting there eating,” Kenny said at Monday’s press conference, The Guardian reported.

CNN reports that a two-page document from Luigi Mangione was found, which included the lines:“These parasites had it coming. I do apologize for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done.” pic.twitter.com/v5d07Q6hRs— Pop Base (@PopBase) December 9, 2024

Dominique Brown, a beloved influencer who became popular on social media as she shared her love for Disney, has died at age 34. Although the official cause of her death hasn’t been announced, E! Online reported that Brown died from a food allergy. The 34-year-old was reportedly participating in an event hosted by merchandise retailer BoxLunch in Los Angeles when she experienced an allergic reaction, E! Online reported.

“We are devastated by the passing of Dominique Brown, a beloved member of the BoxLunch Collective, who suffered a medical emergency at an event hosted by BoxLunch on Thursday in Los Angeles,” a BoxLunch rep told People in a statement. “Our hearts go out to her family and friends, and we will do everything we can to support them and the members of the BoxLunch Collective and our team during this painful time.”

JAY-Z has been named in an amended lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs, and the rapper has already issued a response to the civil lawsuit.

In the civil suit filed on Sunday, JAY-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, is accused of raping a 13-year-old with Diddy in 2000. The lawsuit was first filed in October, and Combs was initially the only defendant. Now, Carter has been added.

As Variety reported, the anonymous Jane Deos’ accusation claims “Combs and Carter raped her in 2000 after they had brought her to an MTV Music Video Awards afterparty.”

Shortly after news of the lawsuit, Carter issued a statement, which was also posted on Roc Nation’s Instagram.

JAY-Z’s response to the lawsuit

The statement reads in part, “My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee. What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle. No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!! These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!!  Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree?”

It continues, “My heart and support goes out to true victims in the world, who have to watch how their life story is dressed in costume for profitability by this ambulance chaser in a cheap suit. You have made a terrible error in judgement thinking that all celebrities’ are the same.  I’m not from your world. I’m a young man who made it out of the project of Brooklyn. We don’t play these types of games. We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children, you seem to exploit people for personal gain. Only your network of conspiracy theorists, fake physics, will believe the idiotic claims you have levied against me that, if not for the seriousness surrounding harm to kids, would be laughable. I look forward to showing you just how different I am.”

Then in response to Carter’s response, Buzbee took to social media to state in part, “Mr. Carter previously denied being the one who sued me and my firm. He filed his frivolous case under a pseudonym. What he fails to say in his recent statement is my firm sent his lawyer a demand letter on behalf of an alleged victim and that victim never demanded a penny from him. Instead, she only sought a confidential mediation. Since I sent the letter on her behalf, Mr. Carter has not only sued me, but he has tried to bully and harass me and this plaintiff. His conduct has had the opposite impact. She is emboldened. I’m very proud of her resolve.”

Regarding the Jay Z case and his efforts to silence my clients: Mr. Carter previously denied being the one who sued me and my firm. He filed his frivolous case under a pseudonym. What he fails to say in his recent statement is my firm sent his lawyer a demand letter on behalf of…— Tony Buzbee (@TonyBuzbee2) December 9, 2024

Combs was first arrested on Sept. 16 on racketeering and sex trafficking charges. He has since been named in a flurry of lawsuits. His trial will be in May 2025, and the court has ruled him to remain behind bars until then.

Artificial red food dye, the coloring used in drinks, snacks, candy and cereal, could soon be banned. Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods, addressed the possible change when he spoke at the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee meeting on Thursday.

Jones said it has been more than 10 years since red food dye has been evaluated for safety. The deputy added that the FDA is now reviewing a petition to ban Red No. 3, a substance made from petroleum, which adds a red color to food and beverage, per NBC News.

“We’re hopeful that in the next few weeks we’ll be acting on that petition,” Jones said, according to NBC News.